Pre-registration required. Judith V. Grabiner (Pitzer College) presents this lecture at the MAA Carriage House. Euclid's Elements is a model of reasoning not only in mathematics but in philosophy, theology, and politics— but it rested on assumptions, one of which didn't seem self-evident. People kept trying to prove that assumption, and the ways they tried tell us a lot about the relationship between mathematics and society. The new non-Euclidean geometries of the 19th century challenged the authority of mathematics, undermined received ideas in philosophy and culture, and had a hand in the birth of modernism. Changes came not only from people like Gauss, Lobachevsky, Helmholtz, and Einstein, but also artists and philosophers. Looking at all of this will illustrate both how culture helps shape mathematics and how mathematics has shaped the modern world.

This conference at Rewley House is to look at the history of the mathematics of space, from Newton until the present. Speakers include Jocelyn Bell Burnell (keynote), Rob Iliffe, Michael Hoskin, Jeremy Gray, Bob Lambourne, and Malcolm McCallum.

This conference aims to celebrate the work of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) in four broad areas: Metaphysics and epistemology, Mathematics and dynamics, Life sciences and earth sciences, and Ethics and theology.

MAA Centennial Celebration! To help the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) celebrate its 100th birthday, a joint meeting is organized by the Canadian Society for History and Philosophy of Mathematics (CSHPM), the British Society for the History of Mathematics (BSHM), the History of Mathematics Special Interest Group of the MAA (HOM SIGMAA), and the Philosophy of Mathematics Special Interest Group of the MAA (POM SIGMAA). Keynote speakers for the gathering are:

Kenneth May Lecture: Karen Parshall (Univ. of Virginia), "'We Are Evidently on the Verge of Important Steps Forward': The American Mathematical Community, 1915-1950"

POM SIGMAA Lecture in Philosophy: John Burgess (Princeton Univ.).

As well as general paper sessions on the history or philosophy of mathematics, the meeting will also feature a number of focused sessions:

Special Session on Mathematical Communities

Special Session on the Philosophy of Mathematics

Special Session in Memory of Jackie Stedall

Special Session in Honor of Karen Parshall, followed immediately by a reception in her honor

Special Session on The Contributions of Women to Mathematics: 100 Years and Counting.

Prospective presenters should submit abstracts (250 words or less) by February 15, 2015 to Prof. Maria Zack (Point Loma Nazarene Univ.), who will circulate them to the relevant members of the organizing committee. Once the abstracts are accepted by the committee, instructions will be given for how to submit the abstract to the Mathematical Association of America.

During MathFest week, the National Museum of American History (NMAH) in Washington is hosting events in honor of the MAA centennial:

On Aug. 4, a rare book exhibit (NMAH Dibner Library) as well as a set of short presentations on “Mathematical Objects at the Smithsonian” (NMAH West Wing Conference Center, First Floor). Space for both is very limited; you must RSVP to Amy Shell-Gellasch.

On Aug. 5-7, a rare book exhibit (NMAH Dibner Library) as well as “Engaging Minds: American Mathematics a Century Ago” (NMAH Education Conference Center), a small exhibit of artifacts related to the early days of the MAA and its founding members. Space for both is very limited; for the book exhibit, you must call the Dibner Library in advance at 202-633-3872; for the artifact exhibit, you must send an e-mail message to Peggy Kidwell, Curator of Mathematics.

An invited lecture on history of mathematics by Niccolò Guicciardini (Univ. of Bergamo, Italy) is planned as part of this international conference at Birmingham University, which celebrates the 150th year of the London Mathematical Society (LMS) and the 25th year of the European Mathematical Society (EMS) and focuses on algebra, analysis, and combinatorics.

Fourth in a series of research conferences on the history of mathematics education, whose themes have included geometry teaching, algebra teaching, teaching of calculus, interdisciplinarity and contexts, the modern mathematics movements, curricula history, development of mathematics education in specific countries, practices of teaching, mathematics textbooks, teacher education, and transmission and reception of ideas. Prospective presenters should submit abstracts (about one page with essential bibliography) via the conference website by March 15, 2015.

The Oughtred Society is dedicated to the preservation and history of slide rules and other calculating instruments. This year’s meeting is scheduled for the Hyatt Regency SFO in Burlingame, CA. The theme is, “From Logarithms to Algorithms: Bridging 400 Years of Scientific and Computing Evolution,” reflecting both the recent celebration of the Quadricentenary of Napier’s work on logarithms as well as highlighting the importance of the Silicon Valley to computing and to the rapid advances in technology during our lifetimes. For more information or to inquire about submitting a paper (deadline June 1, 2015 for inclusion in the published proceedings), contact Proceedings Chairperson Bob De Cesaris.

This year’s conference, the sixth in a series of triennial symposia, will explore "Cultural Plurality and Universality of Mathematics: Challenges and Prospects for their Teaching and Learning." One of the strengths of mathematics lies in the universality of its results. Yet each mathematical concept first emerged in a particular cultural context, and was enriched by the contributions of various civilizations; for example, Northwest Africa was at a time one of the important areas of development and dissemination of mathematical knowledge. This dialectic between plurality and universality is found in several aspects in teaching and learning mathematics, which are central to the theme of this symposium. The language of the conference is French. For more information, see the general announcement and the Call for Papers from one of the conference working groups, Historical Dimension of Mathematics Instruction.

Pitzer College hosts this History of Mathematics conference on the occasion of the retirement of Dr. Judith V. Grabiner, the Flora Sanborn Pitzer Professor of Mathematics and a four-time winner of the MAA's Lester R. Ford Award. Speakers include Joseph Dauben, Jemma Lorenat, Karen Parshall, and Uta C. Merzbach. A dinner will be held after the talks.

This meeting, held at California State Univ. Fullerton, includes a Special Session on History and Philosophy of Mathematics, organized by Jim Tattersall (Providence College) and Shawn McMurran (California State Univ. San Bernardino).

To be held at Gresham College, with principal speaker Ursula Martin, Professor of Computer Science at Oxford Univ., on “The Scientific Life of Ada Lovelace”. The additional speakers are Fenny Smith, “Hypatia— Sifting The Myths”; and Peter Neumann, “Hanna Neumann: A Mathematician in Difficult Times”.

Computer scientist Ada, Countess of Lovelace (1815–1852), is best known for a remarkable article about Charles Babbage’s unbuilt computer, the Analytical Engine: it presented the first documented computer program, to calculate the Bernoulli numbers, and explained the ideas underlying Babbage’s machine. This display, in the new Weston Library, part of the Univ. of Oxford’s Bodleian Libraries, offers a chance to see Lovelace’s correspondence with Babbage, with scientist Mary Somerville, and with Augustus De Morgan, a leading mathematician and pioneer in logic and algebra, as well as her childhood exercises and mathematical notes. The exhibit is organized by the Bodleian Libraries and the Univ. of Oxford’s Dept. of Computer Science, working with colleagues in the Mathematics Institute, Oxford e-Research Centre, Somerville College, the Faculty of English, and TORCH.

The History and Pedagogy of Mathematics (HPM) Americas Section will hold its Fall Meeting at the Univ. of Massachusetts at Amherst, Friday - Sunday, October 30 - November 1, 2015. There will be a variety of talks on relations between the history and pedagogy of mathematics. Talks on experience with using history in mathematics classrooms are especially encouraged. Talks seeking comment on untested ideas for using history to teach mathematics are also welcome. Talks will be about 25 minutes long, followed by abundant time for discussion.

The CMS Winter Meeting will include a paper session on History and Philosophy of Mathematics organized by Tom Archibald (Simon Fraser University) and a plenary lecture by mathematical philosopher Jamie Tappenden (University of Michigan). Tappenden will give the Canadian Society for History and Philosophy of Mathematics (CSHPM) Plenary Lecture.

This conference at Oxford Univ. is aimed at a broad audience interested in the history and culture of mathematics and computer science, presenting current scholarship on Lovelace’s life and work, and linking her ideas to contemporary thinking about computing, artificial intelligence and the brain. Confirmed speakers include Lovelace biographer Betty Toole, computer historian Doron Swade, mathematician Marcus du Sautoy, and graphic novelist Sydney Padua. Other activities will include a workshop for early career researchers, a “Music and Machines” event, and a dinner in Balliol College on December 9, the eve of Lovelace’s 200th birthday. The symposium is organized by the Bodleian Libraries and the Univ. of Oxford’s Dept. of Computer Science, working with colleagues in the Mathematics Institute, Oxford e-Research Centre, Somerville College, the Faculty of English, and TORCH.

See also the related Celebration (London) and Exhibit (Oxford), both listed above for Oct. 29.

MAA Contributed Paper Session on The Contributions of Minorities to Mathematics Throughout History, organized by Amy Shell-Gellasch (Montgomery College) and Lloyd Douglas (Univ. of North Carolina)

MAA Contributed Paper Session on Incorporating the History of Mathematics into Developmental Math Courses, organized by Van Herd (Univ. of Texas-Austin) and Amy Shell-Gellasch (Montgomery College)

MAA General Contributed Paper Session on the History of Philosophy of Mathematics, organized by Bem Cayco (San Jose State Univ.), Timothy Comar (Benedictine Univ.), and T. James Reid (Univ. of Mississippi).

April 13-16, 2016: NCTM Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA

The Annual Meeting and Exposition of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics always includes several presentations and workshops on incorporating mathematics history into elementary and secondary school classrooms.

This meeting, taking place at the Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) Université Cadi Ayyad, aims to increase interest in the history of Arab mathematics as a fundamental phase in the general history of mathematics, and to provide Maghrebian researchers in this field an opportunity to collaborate with their foreign colleagues, in particular on:

the discovery, editing and translation of important manuscripts

the interaction between mathematics and the social, economic and cultural needs of society

identification of educational traditions of mathematics in the Arab-Islamic civilization

highlighting the links between mathematics and other fields of knowledge

highlighting the contributions of the Muslim West in constructing the edifice of mathematics.

Talks are presented in one of the languages Arabic, French, or English. The application deadline is July 30, 2015.

The International Study Group for History and Pedagogy of Mathematics quadrennial Satellite Conference (HPM 2016) of the International Conference on Mathematical Education (ICME-13) will be held Mon.-Fri., July 18-22, 2014, at the Institut de Recherche sur l'Enseignement des Mathematiques (IREM), Universite Montpellier 2, France. Watch for details of HPM 2016 in the HPM Newsletter, also available at the WordPress website.

The 13th quadrennial International Congress on Mathematics Education (ICME-13) will be held at the University of Hamburg, Germany. Proposals for papers must be submitted via the ICME-13 website between Sep. 1 and Oct. 1, 2015.

A special feature of ICME-13 is a Thematic Afternoon in which the following three strands will take place in parallel: